The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-06-12
GROWTH OF AUSTRALIA
PRODUCTS OF THE SOIL AND
LAND DISTRIBUTIONS.
Manufactures. Trade, Railways,
Public Debt and Revenues,
Population and Wealth.


rivers, in a remote location at the
feet of all the world, they are unques
tionably entitled to be added to the
famous trio of whom Providence al
ways takes care. As one studies
their development it is i'm possib BILE not
to be impressed with the rapidity OF
increase in production, and with the
very prosperous condition to which
this increase has brought the colo
MES. We find here an industrial
progress wholly uninterrupted, for
Australia is so situated that it's chief
attraction has been its soil and min
erals, and the interest of the world
in it has been as source Of supply
only. 1t has had no wars, nor have
political complications affected its
advance. In 1850 there were on the
continent about 100000 inhabitants.
In 1851 gold was discovered, aud in
1861 the population numbered l 49,
600. This was the period when gold
was the main product, 1856 leading,
with an output OF 500, 100000.
As the gold niues diminished in
productiveness, the attention of the
population was diverted to other
sources Of wealth, and already in
1861 the item of gold formed less
than one hall the total export Graz
ing and agriculture became promi-
nent, and the advance has been
rapid. The number OF sheep rises
from Is, 422, 266 in 1860 to 58,569,66l
10 1884, the wool export from 81, :
040,9 TO $50, 1913 800, constituting
81 per cent. of the total export, as
against 25 per cent. in 1860, and be-
ing in value three and one half times
the gold, which twepty-four years
before was nearly double the wool.
Cattle increase from 1888, 668 to
1851 ga, aud horses from 392, OLA to
1857, 2O4. la grain the product tor
1888 81 was 1874 204 bushels of
wheat, corn, barley and oats, the
wheat crop rising from 8,7l5, 972 to
1881 1873 The hay crop advances
from 247 1853 tons to 1,O96,O26. In
the ten years preceding 1884 the
quantity of potatoes raised increased
from 100000 bushels to 1851 900,
averaging l42 bushels per acre, while
some irriga ed land gave 232 bushels.
Sugar ought to become a leading
export. The Anglo American limit
OF consumption OF thirty five pounds
per head per year was reached and
passed in 1884 by product OF &c.
563,7l2 pounds, or 1873 pounds per
head. The increase has been rapid,
New South Wales in 1867 making
ouly l7786 pounds, but in 1894,
q 1876 OH, and Queensland yielding
7472S,640 pounds in 1884. as com
pared against 7,121 800 in 1875.
Cotton and wine are advancing in
yearly amount, but are still insignih-
cant except as to quality, Other
crops are minor, being those to be
expected in a country that CORE
spends in latitude to the area be
, tween Lake Nicaragua and the Po'
tomac river. The total acreage in
tilage in 1884 was 5,998, 400, which
is five and one fifth times that OF
1860. The whole area OF Australia
is 1874, SOL ,920 acres. Of this there
has been sold up to 1885 total OF
, 48,928,626 acres, while 81, l12, 49l
more were in process of alienation
The leases tor sheep ranges were
, over COZ 100000 acres, which, with
that sold, show over one third OF the
, total area occupied in various ways
The prices at which public land has
) been sold vary from 81 IS to Sc pei
) acre, or considerably above the
} United States price.
: The mineral wealth of Australia
) formerly nearly all in gold, now in
cludes also coal, tin, copper, silver
antlmony, iron, lead and several
i others in smaller amount, Coal was
. mined in 1852 to the amount of 81.
, 600 tons; iu 1865 we're produced SOB,
525 tons, andln 1884 the output was
, 2,S79, 0S9 tons, some of which found
; a market on our Western coast. The
, total value of precious metals pro
duced in 1884 was S23 ,98l $50, OI
SO 81 per head of population. and Of
8 other metals and coal SIT, 10000, OIL
So S5 per h ad, giving au AVERAGE pei
, capita value OF 81 Az In the United
. S ates the same items in 1880 gave
3 81 36 per head.
The course of manufacturing may
: be judged by the statistics OF
Victoria, which had in 1874 in plant
, buildiugs etc, SD 49l 900, aud ia
1884 81, 072, 635, the number of hand
! employed ris ng from "a, AL to As ,857
b, or from 3 II per cent. TO 4.87 pei
. cent. of the popu alton. The raw
8 mat, rial used in 1880 was valued a
r $39, 9SS, 725 and the finished produc
, $G6S54 100. Victoria imported, how
s ever, that same year $24 ,Sl5 900 wortf
= of English manufactures, and IL
q later years even more, the average
9 importation Of English goods t
a Australia being about one-half the
y total net import.
o The trade OF the colonies, consist
| ing in 1861 of $ll0,000,000 export
q and $1l4.0O0, 600 Imports, became b.
f 1884 in exports $230,000,000 and ii
Imports $273, 000u00, a total inter
change Of $503, 00O,000 OF this sun
about 40 per cent. was the amount o
intercoIouial trade on the continent
o The foreign trade is closely 1902 600,
t 600, or an average of 1921 per head
An average OF $2S per head is giveI
by the added exports aud imports o
a the Uuited States in 1891, the tots
p OF ii ,524, 2O7 ,524 being about 100 pc
{ cent. greater than the total tor 1860
s The change iu the character of Aus
: tralian industry is strikingly show
n il we take from the exports of lS6
:. and 1884 the gold product, aud com
g pare the remaip ders, which gives al
f increase from $62,SO0,0O0 to 1906,
q SOC, 900, OF 229 per cent.
y The shipping of Australia is rela
Q lively large. The number of vessel
o entering IN 1884 was $3.50, clearing
. 6,991, total If 1888, with ton
mage OF 9736, 926 tons, which is 39C
y tons per 100 Of the population. Tit
/. corresponding item and date for thu
Q United States gives an average Q
1 fifty six tous per hundred iuhabi